References of "Reguengo De Sousa, Kevin"
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See detailLiquid crystal elastomer shell actuators with negative order parameter
Jampani, Venkata UL; Reguengo De Sousa, Kevin; Ferreira Machado, Joana et al

in Science Advances (2019), 5(4), 1

Liquid crystals (LCs) are nonsolids with long-range orientational order, described by a scalar order parameter ⟨P2⟩=1/2⟨3cos2β−1⟩. Despite the vast set of existing LC materials, one-third of the order ... [more ▼]

Liquid crystals (LCs) are nonsolids with long-range orientational order, described by a scalar order parameter ⟨P2⟩=1/2⟨3cos2β−1⟩. Despite the vast set of existing LC materials, one-third of the order parameter value range, −1/2< 〈P2〉 < 0, has until now been inaccessible. Here, we present the first material with negative LC order parameter in its ground state, in the form of elastomeric shells. The optical and actuation characteristics are opposite to those of conventional LC elastomers (LCEs). This novel class of anti-ordered elastomers gives access to the previously secluded range of liquid crystallinity with 〈P2〉 < 0, providing new challenges for soft matter physics and adding a complementary type of LCE actuator that is attractive for applications in, e.g., soft robotics [less ▲]

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See detailInfluence of interface stabilisers and surrounding aqueous phases on nematic liquid crystal shells
Noh, Junghyun UL; Reguengo De Sousa, Kevin; Lagerwall, Jan UL

in Soft Matter (2015), in press

We investigate the nematic–isotropic (N–I) transition in shells of the liquid crystal 5CB, surrounded by aqueous phases that conven- tionally are considered to be immiscible with 5CB. The aqueous phases ... [more ▼]

We investigate the nematic–isotropic (N–I) transition in shells of the liquid crystal 5CB, surrounded by aqueous phases that conven- tionally are considered to be immiscible with 5CB. The aqueous phases contain either sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as stabiliser, the former additionally promoting homeotropic director alignment. For all shell configurations we find a depression of the clearing point compared to pure 5CB, indicating that a non-negligible fraction of the constituents of the surrounding phases enter the shell, predominantly water. In hybrid- aligned shells, with planar outer and homeotropic inner boundary (or vice versa), the N–I transition splits into two steps, with a consequent three-step textural transformation. We explain this as a result of the order-enhancing effect of a monolayer of radially aligned SDS molecules adsorbed at the homeotropic interface. [less ▲]

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